Free Stalls

Most dairy cows in Alabama are kept in free-stall barns, which feature deep sand bedding or thick, pliable mattresses. Stalls are wide and long so cows can lie down and get up with natural movements. Cows in this environment are free to move where they please, except for the two to four hours per day when they are milked.

Free-stall housing for dairy cattle on an Alabama farm
Courtesy of Buelon R. "Pete" Moss
Free-stall housing for dairy cattle on an Alabama farm